Preterm infants and in particular infants born prior to 33 weeks gestation are at an increased risk for developmental disorders and learning disabilities. Long-term outcome studies of preterm infants show an overall reduction in developmental quotient (DQ) and a poorer performance on tests of visual-motor integration, spatial relations, quantitative concepts and classroom behaviour compared with reference norms. Such studies suggest that preterm infants may face significant educational and developmental challenges during adolescence and also in later life. There is therefore a need for methods by which the risk of developmental disorders and learning disabilities in preterm infants can be minimised or even eliminated.
An inadequate nutrient supply in the neonatal period is hypothesized to contribute to the observed poor developmental outcome in preterm infants. The n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is of particular interest in this regard because it is a major lipid in the brain with specific structural and functional roles in neurological development. The uptake of DHA into the developing brain is maximised during the final trimester of pregnancy and as a result preterm infants do not receive the DHA in utero that is received by their full term counterparts.
DHA is known to significantly alter a number of basic properties of cell membranes including permeability, fluidity and interactions with regulatory proteins. One such property includes a modulating effect on the activity of ion channels which may facilitate electrical signalling, cellular communication and possibly brain functions such as memory, processing and the ability to learn.
The present inventors have surprisingly discovered that the neurological development of an infant can be promoted by administration of an increased daily amount of DHA compared to that considered previously.